Chris Richardson, why didn’t you tell John Howard & Peter Costello?

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Chris Richardson, why didn’t you tell John Howard & Peter Costello?

Visit Time: 19/12/2007 2:21 AM

Remark:

It is amazing that Chris Richardson from Access Economics finally realised that the tax cuts were not good for the economy. I wonder why he did not tell John Howard and Peter Costello about his analysis before.

Furthermore, it is not rocket science to add up the promises of Labor Party. If he had announced his calculations and findings to the public prior to the election, just like what he had said on Tuesday 18 December 2007, the swinger voters might have voted differently!

Workplace discrimination

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Workplace discrimination

Visit Time: 28/11/2007 12:56 AM

Remark:

The Parliament is the workplace for parliamentarians, and we the citizens of Australia are the employers of the parliamentarians. For those who voted John Howard out of office because he had been there for too long, or he was too old to be the Prime Minister, then those voters would have been in breach of workplace discrimination Act.

It is interesting to note that after Mr John Howard’s debacle, many former Liberal MPs blamed him directly and indirectly for the introduction of AWA / WorkChoices. I find these former MPs to be very un-Australian, and un-Liberal. They were in with the government team. Were they just naive or plain ignorant to play the follow-the-leader game, or just gutless to confront the former PM to raise their concern?

Many programs or projects cannot achieve perfection at first go, not even the billion-dollar lunar exploration program. If AWA / WorkChoices were so bad, why did the small businesses and WA mining industry welcome them? That proved that not everyone disagreed with the introduction and implementation. Space exploration techniques have been improved and refined so much that present day probes go beyond the solar system. AWA / WorkChoices can be amended and enhanced to be “fairer” to the workers and employers.

Many students found part time and casual jobs to support their studies because businesses were prepared to take them on without the fear of union interference.

I hope that the pendulum does not just swing from one extreme to another. We don’t live in a world of just black and white – there are many shades of grey.

Should Dalai Lama practise what he preaches?

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Should Dalai Lama practise what he preaches?

Visit Time: 13/06/2007 10:27 AM

Remark:

While I do not claim to be a philosopher, I find the Dalai Lama's actions are in conflict with his views at times. The Dalai Lama's teaching, to some extent, is similar to what Dale Carnegie's, who wrote the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People".

I watched the The National Press Club Address - The Holiness Dalai Lama program on Tuesday 12 June 2007. There are certain points he raised at the address seem paradoxical, and he should practise what he preaches. He reckoned China had long been ignored by the world, and implied that having good relationship with China, the world could influence China's actions.

The Dalai Lama promotes world peace and harmony, but his meetings with the opposition leader Kevin Rudd and the Prime Minister John Howard provoke ill will between Australia and China. If Australia's relationship with China is "rock solid" (John Howard would probably use the term}, then Australia could in a better position to help the Dalai Lama or Tibetan people to reconcile the differences with China - with or without divine intervention (shall we pray?).

This is definitely a political football game!